FredMcKinnon.Com

Well, words can’t express the “high” I’m feeling from an incredible day yesterday – both of our Sunday AM services were incredible and last night’s “Night of Worship” at SSCC was amazing.  More on that in a different, upcoming blog post.

This morning as I was praying about leadership … God spoke to me.  You know, that small voice on the inside … and oftentimes for me, I “see” the words or phrase in my mind’s eye …

I felt like God said “pray that you (and they) would lead by revelation and not reason”.

PRAY THAT YOU WILL LEAD BY REVELATION AND NOT REASON.

Did you get that?

Revelation gives vision … a cause, a purpose … our leadership is a RESPONSE to the revelation we get.
Reason … this is where we engage our natural minds to figure out the yes and no, the why and why not, the “this is impossible”.

Reason is good … God gave us the capacity to “reason” and use our intellect.  But when our leadership comes from our intellect only, I think we’re apt to miss out.

I’m still trying to figure out exactly what that phrase means and how to walk it out – but I think I’m on to something.

What say you?

• Not a bad trip offshore. 40 keepers and threw at least that many back. (Black sea bass) http://yfrog.com/h35rsusj #
• @markjaffrey I have'm on the grill right now with olive oil, butter, salt pepper, basil … oh yeah #
• Wow, the Steelers really turned this game around. We got a game. Can't wait to see Falcons at 8 – Go FALCONS. #
• RT @jaysellers: On the way home after four and a half hours contorting in a yacht engine room. // of which Will and I got a tour! #
• @RandyElrod I know you like to keep surprises .. but I gotta ask – is @iancron gonna minister the Eucharist at #recreate11 I HOPE SO! #
• YUCK – I think my time would be better spent going to sleep. #falcons look-awful-2nite. Maybe I'll wakeup to a miracle comeback. #
• But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I wil… http://bible.us/2Cor12.9.ESV #
• @RandyElrod my pastor and his wife are out there too! Good luck! #
• OK – so at this point, I'm pulling for Chicago all the way. Da Bears. Have always been my 2nd favorite NFL team since I was a kid. #
• @RussHutto me too. Totally bummed. I don't think the Bears will beat Green Bay though. #
• An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. / Thank you God 4 my wife http://bible.us/Prov31.10.ESV #
• For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus http://bible.us/1Tim2.5.ESV #
• RT @wakeupcoffeeco: A rainy day merits a hot cocoa! #
• RT @joelklampert: Hotel booked for #recreate11 staying at wyngate with yummy hot breakfast! // glad ur staying there, we are toO! #
• @Drake_Jim s-weet! Jim, isn't that where we stayed last year? #
• @Drake_Jim absolutely. And right across the street from Stogies, I think, the official #recreate11 dude cave. #
• @worshipVJ hey man, what do u recommend off our PlayBack Drive for @cottrelltravis "Jesus Saves"? #
• Gym. I wonder if I can remember how to get there? #
• @wakeupcoffeeco is my office this morning. Love it. #
• Web Guys -what's the best web hosting provider where I can have a virtual server hosting all of our domains? Need separate IPs, Strong mySQL #
• @m_vince @jaycaruso yeah, we just had a really bad experience w/ MT w/ our grid server for the church. Finally left #
• It's a sick feeling when the mechanic calls you and says "u need to get your insurance adjustor out here to see this …" #
• @bradrhine do you use DreamHost/ They have a good VPs plan. #
• RT @dougleavy: @chuckazooloo @joeday @rkweblog bad news, I'm not on the trip to cre:ate this year. Just got word today. Sad Day. // STRIKE #
• What Does Holiness Mean to YOU? (funny, nobody wants to TOUCH this one!) http://bit.ly/dI6XH7 #
• @mandythompson hey … you and Eric aren't on the attendee list on the #recreate11 site .. are you SURE you're attending? #
• Looking thru the #recreate11 attendees, I see my friend @mckendreeaugust is coming – WOO HOO, AWESOME! #
• RT @rwentz so we should start a fill in the blank..recreate without @dougleavy is like hearing I Can Only Imagine on the radio. #recreate11 #
• WOW – you can get @audreyassad album today on Amazon for $2.99!! It's a no-brainer! http://amzn.to/gQWife #
• @mandythompson hey Mandy, be sure you see this over @theworshipcomm – http://bit.ly/fc7FUz #
• @jaycaruso our church – http://bit.ly/4u93Vl – though, still a LONG WAY from being anything we're proud of. #
• @SaintLewis it would be an even better day if you answered your phone. (grin) #
• @jaycaruso know OF it … don't know the staff, I don't think #
• Worshipers: Top 3 favorite, UPBEAT congregational praise songs … Let me have'em. (not mid-tempo or slow) #
• @joeday recording? #
• @mikekimmusic mike, is that the same "The Lord Reigns" that's on Gateway Wake the world? (oh, @SaintLewis says hi) #
• @WorshipTools Jeff, goodmorning – thanks for having us on the list! # #
• @dustinrouse right here: http://bit.ly/gcPCBj #
• RT @daveramsey: Watching the sun come up. His mercies ARE new every morning. This day is clean, yet unlived. Help me do good God. /AMEN #
• RT @mandythompson: I feel a fit coming on. // watch out people, this could get ugly #
• RT @chuckazooloo: working on questionnaire 4 #recreate11 & realizing i don't read many blogs anymore. // me 2 #
• @chuckazooloo I've been lazy myself … well re-phrase. I've not made it a priority, how's that. (that sounds worse!)? #
• Top "Upbeat" Praise Songs? Add yours at http://www.fredmckinnon.com/myblog/2011/01/20/if-only-there-were-some-upbeat-praise-songs/ #
• @douggould hey – I see WorshipMD as a #recreate11 sponsor – does that mean you're gonna be there?? #
• O the blood of Jesus, washes me. O the blood of Jesus shed for me. What a sacrifice that saved my life! It's the blood, it is my victory. #
• @RandyElrod "quintessential" is this year's "phenomenal". (Grin!) Hope that @shameonyoko and @patamo caught that. #recreate11 #
• What's your favorite "upbeat" congregational praise songs? See the list and add yours at http://dld.bz/GFGE #
• @tpaulding is blasting some @ianmcintosh on our Meyer arrays and is sounds awesome #
• @randyelrod woohoo. #recreate11 hasn't even started yet and the prizes are already starting. Classic! Can't wait! #
• Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! http://bible.us/Ps27.14.ESV #
• @sailbo now that I'm using DroidX, my need for MobileMe (and it's $100 sub fee) is no more. #
• Just got a pre-release download Bethel Live – Be Lifted High. Brian & Jenn Johnson, Jeremy Riddle, William Matthews, and more. WOW. #
• @sailbo I'm waaaaaaaay to far gone to worry about privacy online, haha … there's not much I sync (calendars, contacts) that I worry abt. #
• @Andrew_Meher hey, no … it's like a press-only release, for review on @theworshipcomm and blog at http://www.theworshipcommunity.com #
• @lesliebrooke Hey, I'll have to check that out – you think that's a bad typo – check THIS ONE out: http://bit.ly/i8ktlZ #

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Yesterday I was pouring over our 18-page printout of songs that we have in PlanningCenterOnline.  My quest?  To try and jog my memory on some good, upbeat praise songs.  Not medium tempo.  Not slow.  Upbeat.  Driving.  Fun … as in “clap on 2 & 4″ (if you’re the clapping kind of church)

It seems that as long as I’ve been leading worship there is always a shortage of solid, upbeat praise songs – good openers, etc.

So, I turned to social media; more specifically, Twitter.

I asked “Worshipers – what’s your top 3 favorite upbeat praise songs?”.

Several people gave answers.  I’ll share them below and would love for you to jump in and add your own.  You don’t have to be a Worship Leader – anyone can comment.

Some examples from yesterday’s tweet:

• Everlasting God (mentioned SEVERAL times) [we do this, but typically a slower NorthPoint Live version, not the upbeat Lincoln Brewster one]
• Run (Hillsong) [never heard of it]
• Praise the Lord (True North) [never heard of it]
• Great is the Lord (Elevation Worship)
• The Lord Reigns (Klauss/Gateway) [heard it and really like it]
• All Because of Jesus (Fee) [our youth band does it well, we've never done it with adults]
• You Deserve (Hillsong)
• Happy Day (mentioned several times, we do it)
• Sing, Sing, Sing (Tomlin, I think?)
• Grace Already Won (no clue, never heard it)
• Salvation Is Here (Hillsong) [did it years ago, but haven't in a while]
• Promises (not sure who that is)
• You Are Good (Israel Houghton) [good one, we've done a while back]
• Freedom (Bushard) [never heard of it]
• O Great is Our God (The Sing Team/Seattle)
• Beautiful One
• See His Love (love this one, good Tim Hughes stuff)
• My Savior Lives [did it last week]
• Sing to the King
• Praise the Lord (Sovereign Grace)
• Let Your Kingdom Come (Sovereign Grace)

Ok – so that’s a few … many of which I’ve never heard of.  How about you?  Chime in!

Dear God,

Hey.  It’s me again.

I really want to know You more.

I really want to experience intimate, close fellowship with You.

I really want to hear what You are saying.  Even more, I want to obey You.

I really want to be more than a servant.  I want to be Your friend.

I really want our conversation to be easy.  I mean …. effortless.  I don’t want to struggle to pray or hear you.

I really want to be keenly aware of Your presence in me … around me … over me.

I really want to be your mouthpiece – Your ambassador – Your Agent for Your Kingdom.  Here … on the earth.

Amen.

2 Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.
(Lev. 19:2, ESV at YouVersion.Com)

I think almost every Christian you talk to will agree that God has called us to be “holy”.  I tend to immediately start thinking of “do’s and don’ts” … legalistic things … law.

But God is a God of grace, and we are not under law.  We agree there, but this is the thing we use to forget about holiness.

One Christian has no problem entertaining themselves with a movie where the “f-bomb” is dropped a dozen times, along with non-stop usage of the Lord’s Name in vain and sinful acts.  Another one feels this is sinful, and by engaging in that, they are not being holy.  It’s as if the standard is “whatever I deem the standard to be”.

So … what does “holiness” mean to you?  Let’s discuss in a non-judgmental, friendly way, shall we?